Waupaca County, Wisconsin - Chapter with an unread heading (no. 12 of those read), 1890

Chapter with an unread heading (no. 12 of those read)

Town of Fremont - First Settlement by D. Gorden in 1849 - Organized in 1855 - Springer's Point - Village OF Fremont Organized in 1888 - Killing of Wau-ke-

John

Township 21, Range 13, taken from the Town of Weyanwega. It is the smallest town in the County, containing but twenty sections. It is bounded on the north by the Towns of Weyauwega and Caledonia, on the east by Caledonia, on the south by the Counties of Winnebago and Waushara, and on the west by Lind and Weyauwega.

The town was organized in 1865. The first town meeting was held at the house of A. J. Mayo, in the Village of Fremont, in April, 1865. The first town officers, elected at said meeting, were: Chairman - Ira Sumner; Supervisors - A. T. Montgomery, John Brickley; Town Clerk - M. B. Patchen; Treasurer - Henry G. Schroeder; Justices of the Peace - Ira Sumner, J. S. Bartlett, C. C. Kinsman.

The first law suit was before Justice Bartlett, in 1866. The parties were Ira Sumner, plaintiff, and Charlie Peters, defendant. It was a jury trial. The jurors were John Brickley, I. N. Kinsman, C.

George Finley. C. C. Kinsman appeared as counsel for Sumner, and J. B. Strain for Peters. After a long and spirited trial, the jury brought in a verdict of eighteen cents for the plaintiff, that amount being the balance due on a bushel of corn.

present limits of the town was built in the Spring of 1849, by D. Gorden, on a claim in Section 25, where the Village of Springer's Point was afterwards laid out. During the same year a man named Crosby built a log shanty on the west side of Wolf River, near the present crossing, on Section 25.

The same year, Ira Sumner built a board shanty on the east side of the river, it being the first dwelling erected on that side. Harman Mumbrue made a claim on the w^est side of the river, where the Presbyterian Church now stands. The three Eastmans, and a man named Hill, made claims on Section 25. Frank Millett made a claim on the place afterwards owned by Alvah Sherburne.

The next year other settlers came, among them Benjamin Brickle3^ and the Bergs tressers, who settled on the east side of the river. Amos Riley made a claim on Section 27. A man named Rowley made a claim and built a shanty on the west side of the river; and another, named Clow, made a claim at the ''red banks," a short distance up the river from where the village now stands.

During the same year Ira Sumner put up the first frame house. It was framed by Harman Mumbrue, was on the east side of the river, and is still standing, being a portion of the old Booth House.

settled near the mouth of Partridge Lake, where he subsequently laid out a village, giving it the name of "Springer's Point." It is now incorporated v^ith the Village of Fremont, of which it forms a part.

The first dock and warehouse were built by Bender & Kinsman in 1855, at the lower landing, being on the site where the warehouse of I. N. Kinsman now stands.

The first postoffice was established in 1853 on the east side of the river, with Ira Sumner for postmaster. It was subsequently moved to the west side, where it remains.

The first mail route was from Oshkosh to Stevens Point. The mail was carried by "Old Jack" once in two weeks, np the Wolf River in a sail boat to Fremont, and the rest of the way on foot.

The first survey was made in 1846, by Theodore Conkey, who subdivided as far west as the west line of Township 21 north. Range 14 east. That ^vas the Government survey. The next surve34ng was done by Ira Sumner in 1849.

The first bridge across the Wolf River was built by Abel Neff, of Oshkosh. It was a toll bridge. After a few years it was purchased by the town, and made free. It did good service until the great freshet in the Spring of 1888, when it was swept away. In the Summer and Fall of that year it was replaced by a first-class bridge, with an iron turn-table resting on a substantial stone pier. Its

In 1857 a weekly newspaper was started at Fremont. It was called the Fremont Pioneer, and was *' neutral in politics." It ^was edited by John M. Dewey, of Waupaca. It survived only one year. The first number is before us, dated November 4, 1857, - five columns on a page. Among the advertisements we find: ''The Fremont House, by A. J. Mayo." ''Wolf River House, J. P. Shoemaker, Proprietor." "Evan Townsend, Notary Public and General Land Agent." " Steam Saw Mill, Damon & Springer." "Store, J. Bender & Co." "T. W. Brisbine, Dry Goods, Etc." "Livermore's Variety Store." "Steam Shingle Mill, Hubbard, Manzer & Co."

The town officers for 1889 were : Chairman - J. Wakefield; Supervisors - Jacob Steiger, C. V. Isbell; Clerk - F. D. Stange; Treasurer - Henry Spindler; Justices of the Peace - J. Wakefield, H. Spindler; Constable - Frank Hicks.

Village Of Fremont

The Village of Fremont is located on both sides of the Wolf River. Its population is about 300. There is no good crossing of the river for miles above and below Fremont, and this fact, together

Fremont has one saw mill, 2 blacksmith shops, 1 wagon shop, 1 shoe shop, 1 agricultural implement warehouse, 3 churches, 1 high school, 4 stores, 1 hotel, 2 saloons, and 2 phj^sicians.

Death Of Wau-Ke-John

This noted Indian was a war chief of the Menominees. Honored by his tribe, his noble qualities had won the respect of the whites, whose friend he was. His tragic fate was lamented by both whites and Indians. We shall give the particulars of the affair as they were given us by W. A. Springer, who was in the neighborhood when

During the Summer of 1852, a band of about 300 Menominee Indians were going down the river in their canoes, bound for Winneconne to procure ammunition. Landing on the marsh, on the east side of the river, a little above Fremont, they met a Chippewa, who was on his way up the river. This Chippewa and Wau-ke-john were not on very good terms, having had some previous difficulty.

The Chippewa asked Wau-ke-john for a drink of whisky; and, upon being refused, shot the chief through the heart. A nephew of Wau-ke-john then sprang forward and buried his hatchet in the murderer's brain.

The murderer laid v^here he fell a day or two, when some of his tribe came and buried him near where he met his punishment. It was reported that the friends of Wau-ke-john cut out the murderer's heart.

Immediately after the murder, the band took the body of their murdered chief into a canoe, and carried it down to where the Village of Fremont is located. Landing on the flat near where the Presbyterian Church now stands, just below the outlet of Partridge Lake, they pitched their tents.

Soon after they landed, our informant, in company witli another man, paid a visit to their camp. They were met by the dead brave's wife and daughter, who appeared in great distress, and who, with sobs, exclaimed, '' Wau-ke-john nepo ! Wau-ke-john nepo ! " (Wau-ke-john killed !) They were fine looking, intelligent women. Receiving an invitation, the whites followed the women into the tent, where they found six or eight Indians sitting around a small fire smoking very long pipes, and uttering a sort of mournful chant all the time.

The wife and daughter led them to where lay the dead chieftain, and showed them where the bullet entered the body, directly over his heart. The chief was dressed well for an Indian. He had on a fine, black frock coat, and was a splendid specimen of savage life. He appeared about forty-five years old. The chief's son, a bright looking boy, was with the party. Everything was perfectly quiet and orderly throughout the camp.

The next morning they got William G. Sherburne, a son of Alvah Sherburne, to make a nice cofiin; and about 4 o'clock in the afternoon preparations for the fimeral commenced. The Indians formed a sort of hollow square on the river bank, with the coffin and the chief's relatives in the center. Then the *^ avenger" and two others stepped into the circle. It was an impressive scene. The avenger was silent, but the others spoke, in the Indian tongue, one after the other. Each speaker held in his hand, while speaking, a stick about three feet long, with which he made gestures while addressing the other Indians. The language, of course, was unintelligible to our informant, but the gestures were graceful and natural, equalled by few of our modern orators who have been spoiled by education. They were both old, grayheaded men. The last orator frequently spoke of the "Schmo-ke-men." It has since been learned that, while extolling the deceased and enumerating his many virtues, he spoke of the respect entertained for him by the ^' Schmo-ke-men," (whites) his friendship for them, etc.

They divided his personal effects among his children, and then put into the coffin with the body the following articles : A loaf of bread under one arm, and a cake of sugar under the other. On his breast were placed his '' medicine bag," containing his flint, steel and punk, his war paints, and also a large silver medal, having on one side the likeness of President Polk, and on the reverse a white man's hand clasping that of an Indian, with the legend, ''Peace and Friendship." The medal was given to the chief by President Polk.

They then closed the coffin. On its lid they placed the dead chieftain's war club, and his rifle. The club was of hickory, about three and a half feet long, and two inches in diameter at the larger

They put the coffin, with the rifle and war club, into a canoe and started up the river, accompanied by two or three Indians. The rest of them went on down the river towards Winneconne. The body was buried at the ''bark lodge," near the ''Cutoff," two miles above Gills Landing. Messrs. Springer, Sumner, and Sherburne, with their families, and perhaps a few other whites, were present at the funeral.

Since writing the above, Hon. H. C. Mumbrue, of Waupaca, tells us that he thinks our informant is mistaken in one or two particulars - that Wauke-john was shot by mistake, by an Indian who intended to kill another with whom he was having a quarrel.